§ Ms ShipleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his Department's progress in securing protection of the international environment. [40507]
§ Mr. FatchettWe have raised the profile of international environment issues in foreign policy discussions. As a result, environment will have been a theme at each of the major conferences hosted by the UK from October 1997 to June 1998. Environment is one of108W the themes of the UK Presidency of the EU. We are working in international forums with colleagues from other Departments to achieve better protection of the international environment, notably in the area of climate change and protection of the world's oceans.